A New Orleans Epic Foodie Experience

The Coca-Cola Company provided promotional consideration for my participation in this program.

What would be the point of going to New Orleans, Louisiana (NOLA) without experiencing the food? I mean, who hasn’t heard of the delicious reputation of the NOLA cuisine? Well someone must have told Coca-Cola^, because honey, #cokeessencefest delivered an epic foodie experience through what they called the “Coke Crawl” during ESSENCE Festival 2015^®! It was a “crawl” alright! You could “crawl” to four different restaurants each day and taste a bit of heaven. If that wasn’t enough, there was plenty of ice-cold Coca-Cola to quench your thirst while jamming to the traveling band that followed the Coke Crawl the entire time! Okay, let me see here: good food four times over each day, delicious, ice-cold Coca-Cola, NOLA music, and plenty of dancing?!? – YEP, the Coke Crawl was ballin’ NOLA-style, baby!

~ Here are a few dishes that peaked my flavor palate ~

On Friday, some of the options on the menu were Fried Crab Claws and Creole Seafood Gumbo at the “Crazy Lobster” on Port of New Orleans Place, and Louisiana Crab and Spinach Casserole and Southern Catfish at “Ole Saint Kitchen & Tap” on Royal Street! BOOM, YUM!

On Saturday, some of the options on the menu were Duck & Pho Spices Empanadas and Oven Roasted Manila Clams at “Rebellion Bar & Urban Kitchen” on Camp Street, and Crispy Pork Rinds and Chocolate & Raisin Bread Pudding Beignets (OMG) at “Fulton Alley” on Fulton Street (where patrons can also bowl a game or two at their indoor bowling alley)!

The Coke Crawl ended with a delicious BANG, BOOM! Some of the options on the menu were barbecued shrimp and fried oysters at the “Oceana Grill” on Conti Street. And then patrons indulged in pecan crusted Gulf fish and oyster Po’Boy sandwiches at Pier 424 Seafood Market on Bourbon Street!

~ Here is the full list of NOLA restaurants who participated ~

Crazy Lobster – 500 Port of New Orleans Place, Ste. 83
WOW CAFÉ – 300 Canal Street
Ole Saint Kitchen & Tap – 132 Royal Street
Olde NOLA Cookery – 205 Bourbon Street
Rebellion Bar & Urban Kitchen – 748 Camp Street
Lucy’s Retired Surfer’s Bar and Restaurant – 701 Tchouplitoulas Street
Fulton Alley – 600 Fulton Alley – 600 Fulton Street,
Après Lounge – 608 Fulton Street
Chartres House – 601 Chartres Street
New Orleans Creole Cookery – 508 Toulouse Street
Oceana Grill – 739 Conti Street
Pier 424 Seafood Market – 424 Bourbon Street

As part of the #cokecrawl experience, each of these restaurants offered FREE ice-cold Coke^® (perfect to ease the NOLA heat!) and Lagniappe!